31 Non-Hospital Nursing Jobs to Check Out
Non-hospital nursing jobs are a great choice for nurses looking for less stressful workdays, a steadier schedule, and better work-life balance — are you one of these nurses? If so, you’ll be glad to know there’s a wide range of nursing specialties where you can apply your skills. From schools and community clinics to research facilities and corporate wellness programs, there’s a niche for every nurse ready to take their career in a new direction.
Ready to explore exciting career paths outside acute healthcare settings? Here are 31 non-hospital jobs for nurses looking for fresh possibilities to apply their skills.
List of 31 Non-Hospital Nursing Jobs
Whether you want weekends and holidays off, crave a steadier schedule, or prefer a role with minimal patient interaction (no judgment here), there are plenty of reasons you may want to explore alternative work environments. Here’s a look at non-hospital jobs that might just be your next big move.
1. Advice Nurse
What you’d do: Provide patients with guidance for non-emergency health concerns, using phone consultations, online chat, or telehealth tools.
Where you’d work: Call centers, telehealth companies, insurance providers, or healthcare hotlines.
What you’d earn: The average salary for an advice nurse in the U.S. is around $86,000 per year.
Check out the latest remote nurse jobs in your area.
2. Aesthetic Nurse
What you’d do: Perform beauty-enhancing procedures, such as chemical peels and laser therapies, while educating clients on maintenance and aftercare instructions.
Where you’d work: Medical spas, dermatology clinics, plastic surgery centers, or private aesthetic practices.
What you’d earn: The average salary for an aesthetic nurse in the U.S. is around $56,000 per year.
Check out the latest aesthetic nurse jobs in your area.
3. Cannabis Nurse
What you’d do: Educate patients on the therapeutic use of cannabis, including proper dosing, administration methods, and potential side effects, while ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations. Monitor for adverse reactions and adjust care plans as needed.
Where you’d work: Medical cannabis dispensaries, wellness clinics, or private practices.
What you’d earn: The average salary for a dispensary nurse in the U.S. is about $52,000 per year.
4. Community Health Nurse
What you’d do: Work with diverse populations to assess health needs, deliver immunizations, perform screenings, and lead educational outreach to promote wellness and prevent illness.
Where you’d work: Public health departments, community clinics, nonprofit organizations, or government health agencies.
What you’d earn: The average salary for a community health nurse in the U.S. is around $71,000 per year.
5. Correctional Nurse
What you’d do: Provide medical care to incarcerated individuals, including managing chronic conditions, administering medications, and responding to emergencies.
Where you’d work: State or federal prisons, county jails, juvenile detention centers, or other correctional facilities.
What you’d earn: The average corrections nurse salary in the U.S. is about $96,000 per year.
Check out the latest correctional nurse jobs in your area.
6. Cruise Ship Nurse
What you’d do: Provide essential healthcare services at sea, including emergency interventions and routine care, while overseeing medical facilities and educating passengers and crew about health and safety. As one of the more adventurous non-hospital registered nurse jobs, this role lets you combine travel with clinical practice.
Where you’d work: Cruise lines and private yachts with onboard medical services.
What you’d earn: The average salary for a cruise ship nurse in the U.S. is about $76,000 per year.
7. Dermatology Nurse
What you’d do: Assist dermatologists in diagnosing and treating skin conditions (such as acne, psoriasis, and suspicious lesions), perform skin assessments, administer treatments like cryotherapy and phototherapy, and educate patients on proper skin care.
Where you’d work: Dermatology clinics or private dermatology practices.
What you’d earn: The average salary for a dermatology nurse in the U.S. is about $85,000 per year.
8. Fitness Nurse
What you’d do: Design personalized exercise and wellness plans that help individuals manage chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.
Where you’d work: Rehabilitation centers, wellness clinics, corporate wellness programs, and senior living facilities.
What you’d earn: The average salary for a fitness nurse in the U.S. is around $80,000 per year.
9. Flight Nurse
What you’d do: Provide advanced emergency and critical care to patients during air transport, including stabilizing patients, administering medication, and monitoring vital signs under challenging conditions. This highly specialized role is one of the fastest-paced non-hospital nursing jobs, perfect for adrenaline-seekers.
Where you’d work: Air ambulance services, military medical evacuation teams, or hospital-based flight programs.
What you’d earn: The average salary for a flight nurse in the U.S. is around $95,000 per year.
10. Forensic Nurse
What you’d do: Provide specialized care to victims of trauma or violence, collect and preserve evidence for legal cases, and collaborate with law enforcement and legal teams. You’ll also document findings and provide expert testimony when needed.
Where you’d work: Law enforcement agencies, medical examiner’s offices, correctional facilities, or victim advocacy programs.
What you’d earn: The average salary for a forensic nurse in the U.S. is about $64,000 per year.
11. Holistic Nurse
What you’d do: Integrate traditional nursing practices with complementary therapies such as aromatherapy, mindfulness, and nutrition counseling to address the whole person — mind, body, and spirit. This role may be one of the most diverse non-hospital nursing jobs. Remote work options make it possible for these professionals to provide holistic care from virtually anywhere.
Where you’d work: Holistic wellness centers, integrative health clinics, or private practices.
What you’d earn: The average salary for registered nurses, including holistic nurses, is $98,430 per year.
12. Home Health Nurse
What you’d do: Deliver skilled nursing care to patients in their own homes, including wound care, medication management, chronic disease monitoring, and patient education
Where you’d work: Home health agencies or as independent contractors.
What you’d earn: The average salary for a home health nurse in the U.S. is about $89,940 per year.
Check out the latest home health nurse jobs in your area.
13. Hospice Nurse
What you’d do: Provide compassionate end-of-life care for patients with terminal illnesses, focusing on pain management, emotional support, and quality of life for both patients and their families.
Where you’d work: Hospices, home health care agencies, or residential care facilities with hospice programs.
What you’d earn: The average salary for a hospice nurse in the U.S. is around $88,000 per year.
Check out the latest hospice nurse jobs in your area.
14. Infusion Nurse
What you’d do: Administer intravenous infusion treatments, such as vitamins, hydration therapy, detox blends, and other wellness drips. You’ll set up and monitor infusions, educate clients on benefits and aftercare, and ensure safe, comfortable treatment — often in boutique clinics or even in clients’ homes. This is a prime example of non-hospital nursing jobs that offer both meaningful work and adaptable schedules.
Where you’d work: Walk-in wellness infusion centers, mobile infusion services, concierge nursing companies, private residences, or spa-like health clinics.
What you’d earn: The average salary for an infusion nurse in the U.S. is around $104,000 per year.
Check out the latest infusion nurse jobs in your area.
15. Legal Nurse Consultant
What you’d do: Bridge the gap between healthcare and law by analyzing medical records, identifying standards of care, and providing expert opinions on medical malpractice, personal injury, and workers’ compensation cases.
Where you’d work: Law firms, insurance companies, government agencies, or as independent consultants.
What you’d earn: The average salary for a legal nurse consultant in the U.S. is approximately $89,000 per year.
16. Long-Term Care Nurse
What you’d do: Oversee the ongoing health and well-being of residents in long-term care settings by administering medications, delivering wound care, managing specialized diets, and monitoring changes in mobility and health. This role offers solid non-hospital nursing jobs for new grads that provide valuable hands-on experience in patient care.
Where you’d work: Nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and residential care communities.
What you’d earn: The average salary for a long-term care nurse in the U.S. is about $81,000 per year.
Check out the latest memory care nurse jobs in your area.
17. Military Nurse
What you’d do: Care for active-duty military personnel, veterans, and their families in diverse settings — from military bases to disaster zones. Offer emergency care, preventive health services, wound management, and health counseling, all while ensuring troop readiness, recovery, and resilience during peacetime and deployment.
Where you’d work: Combat zones, military bases, field medical units, Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, and aboard naval vessels.
What you’d earn: The average military nurse salary in the U.S. is around $70,000 annually.
18. Nurse Coder
What you’d do: Translate patient care records into standardized medical codes for billing and recordkeeping. This involves reviewing charts, understanding medical terminology, and ensuring accuracy for insurance claims.
Where you’d work: Hospital billing departments, insurance firms, or remotely.
What you’d earn: The average salary for medical record specialists in the U.S. is $55,970 per year.
19. Nurse Educator
What you’d do: Develop and deliver nursing education programs for students, practicing nurses, or healthcare teams. This includes creating curricula, teaching clinical skills, mentoring, and assessing competency.
Where you’d work: Nursing schools, universities, hospitals, healthcare organizations, or as independent trainers.
What you’d earn: The average salary for nursing instructors and teachers in the U.S. is $87,090 per year.
Check out the latest nurse educator jobs in your area.
20. Nurse Informaticist
What you’d do: Integrate nursing science with information technology to improve patient care and streamline healthcare operations. This includes managing electronic health records (EHRs), optimizing data systems, and training staff on the proper use of newly incorporated digital tools. This role also offers one of the highest non-hospital nursing jobs salary opportunities, making it an attractive career choice for nurses seeking both innovation and competitive pay.
Where you’d work: Health tech companies, electronic health record vendors, government health agencies, or hospitals’ health information management departments.
What you’d earn: The average annual salary for an informaticist in the U.S. is around $110,000.
21. Nurse Navigator
What you’d do: Guide patients through the healthcare system by coordinating care, clarifying treatment plans, helping with appointment scheduling, and connecting patients to resources.
Where you’d work: Hospitals (look for remote roles), oncology centers, or health systems with patient navigation programs.
What you’d earn: The average annual salary for a nurse navigator in the U.S. is around $110,000.
22. Nutrition Nurse
What you’d do: Combine nursing expertise with nutritional guidance to help patients manage chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and hyperlipidemia, and improve overall health. Tasks may include creating personalized nutrition plans, providing education on healthy eating practices, and collaborating with physicians and other healthcare team members.
Where you’d work: Outpatient clinics, wellness centers, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, or private practices.
What you’d earn: The average annual salary for a nutrition nurse in the U.S. is around $65,000.
23. Nurse Writer
What you’d do: Create clear, accurate, and engaging content related to healthcare, including patient education materials, blog posts for healthcare websites, medical articles, and nursing textbooks.
Where you’d work: Healthcare publications, marketing departments of healthcare companies, nursing schools, medical research agencies, pharmaceutical companies, or as a freelance writer.
What you’d earn: The average annual salary for a medical writer in the U.S. is around $87,000 per year.
24. Occupational Health Nurse
What you’d do: Promote workplace health and safety by assessing employee health, conducting injury prevention programs, managing workplace illness and injury care, administering immunizations, and ensuring compliance with occupational health regulations.
Where you’d work: Manufacturing facilities, construction sites, corporate offices and businesses, government agencies, or as independent occupational health consultants.
What you’d earn: The average occupational health nurse salary in the U.S. is about $67,000 per year.
25. Palliative Care Nurse
What you’d do: Deliver compassionate, holistic care to patients with serious or life-limiting illnesses, focusing on pain and symptom management, emotional support, and improving quality of life.
Where you’d work: Hospices, palliative care clinics, home health agencies, or long-term care facilities.
What you’d earn: The average salary for a palliative care nurse is about $87,000 per year.
26. Recuperative Care Nurse
What you’d do: Provide post-acute medical care to individuals experiencing homelessness who are too ill or frail to recover from an illness or injury on the streets or in shelters but are not ill enough to require hospitalization.
Where you’d work: Recuperative care facilities, shelters, and medical respite programs.
What you’d earn: The average salary for RNs in the U.S., including recuperative care nurses, is $98,430 per year.
27. Research Nurse
What you’d do: Support clinical trials and research studies by recruiting participants, collecting and analyzing data, ensuring compliance with study protocols, and maintaining accurate documentation. This is one of the innovative non-hospital nursing jobs that offers both hands-on patient care and opportunities to advance medical knowledge.
Where you’d work: Academic medical centers, research institutions, pharmaceutical companies, government health agencies, or contract research organizations (CROs).
What you’d earn: The average medical scientist salary in the U.S. is $112,690 per year.
28. School Nurse
What you’d do: Support student health by conducting routine screenings, providing immunizations, managing chronic illnesses like asthma and diabetes, administering medications, providing first aid, and educating students on healthy lifestyle choices and illness prevention.
Where you’d work: Public and private schools, school districts, universities, or student health centers.
What you’d earn: The average school nurse salary in the U.S. is $70,720 per year.
Check out the latest school nurse jobs in your area.
29. Substance Abuse Nurse
What you’d do: Provide care for individuals struggling with substance use disorders (SUDs) by administering medications for withdrawal management, addressing life‑threatening withdrawal complications such as seizures and delirium tremens, and educating patients on healthy coping strategies to manage stress and drug cravings. Addiction recovery nursing offers some of the most challenging and rewarding non-hospital nursing jobs available today.
Where you’d work: Rehabilitation centers, detox facilities, outpatient addiction clinics, and community health organizations.
What you’d earn: The typical registered nurse salary, including substance abuse nurses, in the U.S. is about $98,430.
Explore the latest psychiatric nurse jobs in your area.
30. Triage Nurse
What you’d do: Conduct initial patient assessments — often via phone or telehealth — to determine the urgency of their medical needs, provide clear guidance on next steps for managing their condition, and collaborate with the healthcare team to ensure timely medical care.
Where you’d work: Nursing call centers and telehealth services
What you’d earn: The average salary for a telephone triage nurse is $87,000 per year.
31. Utilization Review Nurse
What you’d do: Evaluate the appropriateness, medical necessity, and efficiency of healthcare services provided to patients, ensuring compliance with clinical guidelines and insurance requirements.
Where you’d work: Insurance companies, managed care organizations, hospitals’ utilization review departments, or healthcare consulting firms.
What you’d earn: The average salary for a utilization review nurse in the U.S. is about $92,000 per year.
Check out the latest utilization review nurse jobs in your area.
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